Making A Difference Through Education: A Broader and Bolder Approach to School Reform

"Sharing ideas—even ideas that we don’t like—is so important to democracy." – Pedro Noguera

Students from low-income families typically experience a variety of pressures outside of school that influence their academic performance within school. Poor health and nutrition, concerns related to violence and crime, and housing instability are just some of the issues that are external to schools that significantly impact the academic performance of students.

Additionally, these conditions often have an impact upon the perspectives students have about their future: whether or not they see college as a realistic option, what careers they believe are possible for them, or whether or not they think they will live long enough to lead productive lives.

Given the importance of external conditions on student achievement, a growing number of schools are recognizing that they must have the ability to influence the factors that influence the development of children outside of school.

Drawing on research carried out at schools in Newark, Houston, Denver and the Eastern Cape of South Africa, Dr. Noguera will explore the types of strategies that schools have developed to form effective collaborative relationships with community-based organizations that can counter the adverse influence of poverty on student learning and child development.